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In the last consumer snapshot before the 2026 midterm elections, the annual rate of inflation rose 3.7 percent.Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to become the biggest donor of this midterm cycle, after spending more than $366 million on conservative candidates and causes.And the Trump administration is once again targeting Rep. Ilhan Omar, with federal agents issuing subpoenas to her family as they searched her family history for instances of fraud.And, in global news, fighting between the Saudis and the Yemeni Houthis is intensifying. A building owned by major Saudi energy company was the latest casualty as it was set ablaze late Tuesday. On Thursday, a presidential palace in Aden was also hitAlso in the Middle East, Iranian drone and missile attacks are heating up in the Strait of Hormuz. At least six cargo vessels were attacked and sunk this week.In France, President Emmanuel Macron is accusing student protesters demonstrating against conditions in the nation’s schools of harboring political motivations and being exploited by his enemies. And in India, protestors put pressure on Prime Minister Modi.We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

For those experiencing hearing loss, being able to discern the speech of other people in noisy environments can be frustrating. And hearing aids often don’t convey sound in every situation.Hearing loss affects 37.5 million adults in this country. And rates of hearing loss increase with age. Some 10 percent of those over the age of 55 have hearing loss that qualifies as a disability. And just over half of all people over the age of 75 have disabling hearing loss.In this edition of “In Good Health,” we talk about the health issues that most affect us and put your questions to the experts. This time, we tackle hearing loss.Here are some resources shared by our experts during this discussion:- HearAdvisor.com – a hearing aid comparison and review site- Hear & Beyond by Shari Eberts and Gael Hannan – a guide to navigating hearing loss- Hearing Number app – a free smartphone app by Johns Hopkins University for measuring how much sound you can hearFind more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Polls play a major role in U.S. politics. And in the months leading up to an election, they’re everywhere.Polling doesn’t just indicate which party has a competitive advantage in a race. They also tell us about the issues that are most concerning to voters. And how these concerns break down by race, gender, education, age, and political affiliation. They also tell us the level of trust people have in the institutions tasked with carrying out our democratic processes.In this installment of our weekly series, “If You Can Keep It,” we break down the purpose of polls and their place in our elections, politics, and democracy.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

It’s been a successful summer for Robert Prevost — one of Chicago’s most distinguished citizens.His essay on artificial intelligence was released in paperback to enthusiastic reviews. It was described by one prominent commentator as “beautifully written, hugely significant, speaks truth to power.” His three-city tour of France exceeded all expectations, drawing huge crowds. An estimated 800,000 people packed the Champs-Elysees to see him. And his beloved Chicago White Sox went from woeful to winners and made the World Series playoffs.Prevost, of course, is better known these days by another name: Pope Leo XIV. He’s the first ever American head of the Catholic church. So, how’s he doing? We sit down with a panel of experts to find out.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Last week, a key stretch of the Pacific Ocean hit its highest temperature on record. And it’s still climbing.It’s a warning sign of the so-called Super El Niño, expected to bring floods, droughts, and heat waves. And higher prices for staples like coffee.What to expect from the super El Niño — and how states are preparing.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The Department of Homeland Security has allocated$20 million to pay for pro-Trump ads glorifying the president, which have drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.The pay-to-play allegations plaguing Maine Sen. Susan Collins haveswing voters in her state re-thinking their support for the five-term GOP incumbent.And top AI executives descended upon Washington this week for a meeting at the White House. They agreed toself-police their industry following several high-profile mishaps and dire warnings from their colleagues about the dangers of their product.And, in global news, asthe value of Iran’s currency hits a record low, Qatari mediators are working to find a deal for peace that would be acceptable to leaders in both Washington and Tehran.The Gaza Health Ministry reports that thePalestinian death toll for the war in Gaza has surpassed 74,000.And Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an increase to the size of his country’s armyfor the fourth time this year.We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Gas. Groceries. Housing. Almost everywhere you look in the U.S. economy right now, prices are up – and people are feeling the squeeze.As of July, six in ten Americans say Trump’s economic policies have worsened economic conditions in the country, according to a survey from Pew Research. That’s up from roughly 53 percent who said the same last fall.While the U.S. economy is strong on paper — with relatively low unemployment and shrinking inflation — voter concerns about affordability are expected to factor heavily into the midterm elections.So, how should you manage your money right now? And what financial decisions are you weighing that you’d like a second opinion on? We put your questions to a panel of experts.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The midterms are just five weeks away. Ballots are already in the mail and in person voting is underway in some states. Meanwhile, the federal government’s role in this election is still being hashed out in the courts.This month, the Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump’s attempt to give the U.S. Postal Service greater control over mail in ballots. Then on Friday, it revived a federal citizenship-check system that a lower court had found illegal. And three separate lawsuits have been filed in recent weeks to keep armed federal agents away from polling places.The White House says its push to federalize elections is about protecting the integrity of the vote. But a new NPR, PBS News, and Marist poll found that 75 percent of voters trust their state or local government to run a fair and accurate election.Amid all the false claims and efforts to confuse, how are elections running for the midterms?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

World leaders have descended upon New York City for this year’s edition of the United Nations General Assembly. And a lot is happening.So far, we’ve seen some most pointed criticism of Israel’s conduct heard at the U.N. in years. This led to the Israeli delegation walking out during the Turkish president’s address.It’s been nearly three years since Oct. 7. And the Palestinian Authority’s president isn’t in the room — the United States denied him a visa. Mahmoud Abbas will instead address the assembly on Thursday by video.What is being said about Gaza at this General Assembly? And what does it tell us about the limits of the U.N.’s power when America isn’t on board?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet this week in a highly anticipated sit down as the U.N. summit continues in New York.This conference comes amid stark warnings over AI safety, U.S.-China trade anxiety, and the ongoing war in Iran.What‘s on the agenda and what do each of these superpowers want?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

This week the nation woke up to the potential danger of runaway tech — that AI is behaving in ways its creators don’t intend and can’t control. And that we might be as little as six months to a year away from AI being capable of acting on its own.The midterm election is coming. Prices are high. And a new Congressional Budget Office report out this week says the main reason for relentless inflation is the Iran war.And President Donald Trump has made mail-in-voting a major part of his campaign to sow doubt in the voting process. But on Monday, the Supreme Court blocked his executive order to change how mail-in ballots are sent to voters across the country.And, in global news, this week, Yemeni Houthis militia members seized the Red Sea port of Mokha and several islands inside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping passage.Reporting from The Washington Post revealed the details of a $2.8 billion arms package the Trump administration will send to Israel. The sale includes 2,000-pound bombs, the largest single sale of the controversial munition in recent years.And next week, is the U.N. General Assembly will stage its annual meeting in New York.Then, Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to Washington for a much-anticipated meeting with President Donald Trump.We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Last week, a researcher at the artificial intelligence company Anthropic announced his resignation on X, formerly known as Twitter. Jacob Coxon wrote that his former company — along with Open AI, where he also recently worked — are acting irresponsibly and “racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.”That post went viral — it’s now been viewed nearly 200 million times. Then, on Saturday, Anthropic’s own CEO, Dario Amodei, published an essay calling on the entire industry to deliberately slow down. He also shared some ideas about how to do it. The head of Open AI, Sam Altman, replied by saying, “I agree with Dario that we need to pace the frontier.”Should we slow down AI innovation — and is that even possible? What’s at risk if we don’t?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

At least a billion dollars of untraceable cash is flowing into this year’s midterm elections.That’s according to an analysis by The New York Times from late last month. These funds – referred to as dark money by campaign finance experts – are coming from super PACs, non-profits, and wealthy donors.Tracing exactly how much dark money is flowing through campaigns is difficult. Money spent to hire influencers online, direct mail campaigns, and employ door knockers isn’t always publicly disclosed as campaign spending.In this edition of “If you Can Keep it,” we tackle the role of dark money in our midterm elections.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy